Possibly getting back into biking - advanced riding courses?

[Hades]

As some may recall I was knocked off my bike a year and a half ago, sustaining some serious injuries. I'm not 100% healed yet and am still going through the injury claim (it was entirely the drivers fault and they have admitted liability). So I won't mention too much about the accident until the claim is over. I'm not yet sure how I will feel getting on a bike again and my wife is very much against it. That's something I will have to work through with her and certainly take her feelings into account. I do understand how it would worry her.

But recently I've started to really miss riding again and wanted to start looking into ways to make it safer if I did return to it at some point in the future. With both cars and bikes I've always had the attitude that even if something is 100% the other drivers fault then there are usually ways to reduce the risk to yourself.

So I want to look into more advanced riding courses. I would welcome anyone's experience of these, whether they are worth it and what type of course to look out for, etc. If anyone has any recommendations in the Surrey area then that would also be appreciated.

Thank you.


** I am so, so glad I was wearing full gear at the time and anyone who rides without it is a muppet - but it's obviously their choice. Looking at the damage on my helmet makes me very happy I paid the extra for a good brand and wasn't wearing an open face helmet.

 

[Hades]

Thanks all.

 

[Hades]

I don’t have much time at the minute so I’m jotting down a quick reply now so I don’t miss this thread. I’ll post a fuller reply later as there is some good and not so good advice in this thread.

In short, your approach to this problem is admirable and despite the doubt from an earlier poster about your frame of mind, I think you are in a great frame of mind. Training is the only way to make riding markedly safer. Anything else is marginal gains, placebo, or downright arrogance - something which afflicts many who straddle a motorbike.

Track or other off-road motorcycle handling courses have their place but you’ve rightly identified that they aren’t the solution. Making road riding safer requires training on the road. It requires a different approach to information processing and hazard management that cannot be trained in any other environment. The IAM and RoSPA advanced riding courses are the best bang for buck courses you can do and they will absolutely make you a safer and more confident rider. The justified confidence increase (not misplaced like many who don’t train extensively) will make riding much more enjoyable too. They teach Roadcraft which is a system created and used by the Police. Some groups have adapted this well to civilian riding, although there are still a handful with a high contingent of ex-coppers who allow it to go to their heads. Good groups are brilliant and are the majority.

There are alternative courses offered by Rapid training and some others, but these come at significant cost, and IMO I had better results from other sources.

I’ve completed IAM Advanced, Masters Distinction, RoSPA Gold and am a current Observer (Instructor) with the IAM. I don’t want to come across as arrogant, but I’ve helped train a lot of motorcyclists who came from being downright dangerous and under confident, into very competent and safe riders. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I’ll be happy to answer. Also happy to discuss in more detail via PM if you wish.

Thank you.

 

[Hades]

Thanks.

 

[Hades]

I've done a BikeSafe session with the police, I'd highly recommend it while they're still going, which at the current dwindling numbers of police motorcyclists is possibly not that long.
It's not like a lesson where you're taught how to ride to pass a license test, it's more real-world stuff about keeping out of danger, assertive riding, positioning for maximum visibility etc.
As an example I was told off on mine for going back into the 1st lane on the motorway too much after passing, the idea being stay overtaking and minimise movement between lanes.
They're cheap and of course you get to ride around with a police escort for a few hours, which is a novel experience

Also worth giving Roadcraft a read too, it's what Police riding is based on.

Thank you. I will take a look.

If/when I do get a bike again I think I'll get a days lesson with a local instructor before buying one (as I will be very rusty) and then after getting the bike I will do something like this. I'm starting to really want to get back on a bike although not sure how I will feel if I do.

 

[Hades]

I've been riding for years. Done BikeSafe, FireBike, RosPA, training with private instructors etc., etc. Far and away the best training that I have ever had is with Rapid. It's expensive but you will be riding with hugely experienced instructors who train you in real-world riding on UK roads. Best biking money I've ever spent was doing BikeMaster with Rapid.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Hades]

What kind of bikes have you been looking at. My Honda crf300l gets used loads now as its so light and forgiving it's perfect for ****** weather and only 27hp so you can thrash it a bit and it's all still very stable. If you get bored woth it ktm smcr is same weight but 3-4x the power same big bars bit full size road tires

I'm really not sure.

My bike was a Triumph Bonneville T120 which was written off. I don't feel I have finished with the Bonneville experience yet, but don't necessarily just want to get the same bike again. It seems a good opportunity to change it up a bit and try a different bike.

I don't want a sports bike so have been looking at either another modern classic like the Bonneville or possibly a smaller adventure style bike. For what I want to do the adventure/tourer would be better. I would like to use it for tours around the UK, occasional commuting (not much) and mostly weekend coffee jaunts. I also don't want to spend a huge amount of money (I will be buying used) and do want to use it more into winter and poorer weather (I would avoid bad weather on the Bonneville because of cleaning all the chrome again afterwards). Something like the Honda CB500X comes to mind although I think that might be just a little under powered for motorways. If it had another 10hp then it would be perfect. My brother suggested an older BMW GS but that might be a little big for what I'm looking for. On the modern classic front then maybe another from the Bonneville range or something from Royal Enfield.

That Honda crf300l is something to consider too, although probably not for touring (didn't Itchy Boots use one for touring though?)

I really don't know at this stage.

 

[Hades]

The reason that I posted and recommended Rapid training was because the comment in your original post:



I completely agree with that sentiment and that is a large part of the focus of advanced training. Most decent trainers are keen bikers themselves and have that 'biking community' spirit. Why not find an advanced trainer in your area and give them a call. Tell them your story and see what they recommend? They may have a bike that you could ride for a lesson so you can see how you feel about it. They would also be able to recommend a suitable bike.

Thank you. Good suggestion.

 

[Hades]

Thank you.

 

[Hades]

Did you make a decision what you're going to do next? I'm not sure how long it took you to recover, but it took me 2 years to fully recover, well to 95% at best... Few months down the line, one of my mates bought a bike, I went over and test rode it on a country road outside his house. At that point, I forgot that feeling, this has re-ignited that fire that nearly went out. Another 2 years passed and I won a classic bike on auction, part of the reason was to make it easier for my family, it was a good little project that I could test drive, only went out on it 2-3 times and sold it, not my cuppa of tea. Another 2-3 years passed and I jumped on a CRF300M in Thailand, rode it in Rush Hour traffic, regretted that decision as soon, as I sat on it, but after we left the city and ended up on the loop all the bad thoughts faded away.

I do feel the subconsciously there's trauma, even today during my Mod2, 3 cars pulled out on me and 1 van went into my lane because he was playing with his phone, normally those things would be brushed off 5 min later. But now, especially after the accident I had, I do see it has a bigger impact and takes longer to brush off... I think, the best way would be to jump on a bike, ride it and make the call if the risk is worth it at the end of the day to you. Some people just hang up the boots, because there are things that they enjoy/value more (weirdos, right? )

At this point, if you are still waiting for someone to say it'll be as safe, as a car, it won't no matter how much training you do and how good of a rider you're. End of rant lol

1.5 years for me and I would say I am 90% healed. I still have some hand and leg issues.

I'm not usually the sort of person to let past things like an accident traumatise me. I've experienced a lot of family illness and death, along with some serious illness of my own, recently tried to save someone's life who collapsed in the street (unsuccessfully) and just shake it off and get on with life. But every now and then, even in a car, I have a brief moment where I think someone won't stop at a side road or on a roundabout. Yes I'm fully appreciative that a bike will never be as safe as a car. When you get on a bike you have to accept that risk.

I think I will get a bike at some point. I test rode one recently and very nearly went for it. That was my first time back on a bike since the accident. But my wife and daughter don't want me to. So I passed on it for now. I still keep thinking about it though.